Apparatus for handling materials



Jan. 12, 1932.` D. s. BAKER APPARATUS FOR HANDLING MATERIALS Filed June 10. 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet @QMOMMUHHHHHHMH I oil,tiss@ IIIIIIIII'IIIII If" ATTORNEY l Jan; 12, 1932. b. s. B'AKE'R 1,841,237 APPARATUS FQR HAND-LING MATERIALS Filed June 1o. .1929 3 srwe'cs-sret- '2 Jan. 12, 1932. D. s. BAKR 1,841,237

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING MATERIALS Filed June 1o, 1929 s sneaks-sheet 5 n INVENTOR BY WMM ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 12,1932r l A' Y A' n j "UNITED 7 This invention relates to'apparatus'fiorv l" 1.is a' d'iagraminatie` lanvie'vv'fof a' f handling materials, and' aims to'facilit'ate the fragment ofthe'track-circuit orthe carriers;- movement, and more particularly the'tr'eat-- Fig. 2is'a ldia'grammaticjside elevation` of ment of materials. A F the'lentir track circuit indicating diiiiere'ntv* u rThe "invention relates 'to apparatus ofthe@ positions4 takenbyA the` carrier 4in passing. 55 type described and claimed in"myPatentNo'.rvl` around" the circuit;` i f 1,672,404 which included a number "of-sepa-jy Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic side elevation of rate ca'rrierseach having carrying 'elements aiy system of chain conveyors. which' may be adapted to be placed either'in edgetoi-edge utilized'to move'thecari'iersaroundthe'tracl 10 or in superimposed relation, and meansfor circuit shown in Fig. `2; i I "A Y t controlling the movement of suchcarr'iers son Fig'. "is asidee'levation of partsof the as to place their carrying velements'r in edge-toi-L rails of i the :tirack'circuit shown in Fig'.v 2,1

edge relation ata loading" stationand in looliingI y0utwardly from the middle 4ofthe .superimposed relation ina treatment Space! apparatng and showing a carrier .atrthe A The presentinventionaims to" improve and dfumpingfstationl.; u l, u, i l

simplify such" apparatus; This object iS'at- F ig`.r5 isl a vertical' sectionnof the upper` tained in accordance With'th'e-piesent invenportions of a' plurality ofcarriersJ in t're`at tion by providing a simpliliedl carrier' andv mentQposition, 'taken onA theline 5;'5 of" a corresponding simplification inthefmeansf MFi`g71`;' "i Y for controllingvand. moving'the arriersi f Fig. 6 'is afvert'ical [section ofca'rriers in 70VVV Each carrier shovvn in said. -patent vvffasf loading position, taken 'onthe line -i-G of" provided'vvith two connectingmeinbers and? F i'g'l 8.; n y l y I' a plurality Vof carrying" elements* or* trays Fi'g. ;7 san end elevation of one 'of the carhinged together in parallel'ogram arrange# riersiiitreatment position; and p, l e ment. Acarrier c'onstructed'in accordance. Fig. 8`i's` a plfin vievv of ile-'lof the cajrries^l'*It*Y With myA present inventionliafsr but Vasi'n'gle in'loading position. ,n I v connecting member. A' plurality'fof carrying The complete apparatus illustrated in-k elements are hinged to this connectingmemiV cludes a'lar'ge number of' carrie-rs 10,'each pro'- Y ber in such manner that they are maintained vide'dWith a' plurality ofcarry'ing,` elements V horizontahl andl consequently parallel, byVv such as: trays 20,' and means'formovingthese'.en3v

gravity. The carrying'elements are so posi# carriers in' a closed circ'l'li't'vvhich't'akesy each tioned and proportioned that they" lie` edge- Y traypastaloading statimiL,throughatreat!l to-edge in a common horizontal plane vvhen'f ment space T, to'a dumping station D,iand the connecting member ofthe'carrier ishoribackto the: loading strationL.` i y i zontah and lie in superimposedrelation,in Eachcarrie'r l'oitldeapparatusillustrated'SSY parallel horizontal planes when the" connectconsists'ofv aconne'ctin'g member 11n and a plu ing member of vthe Carrier' is: at anangle to? Y rality of carryingeleinents 2()"piv `)t:1bly.sus#v the horizontal. -A complete apparatnseml; p'endedtherefrom.V 'The'conneeting inemberA bodying the present invention includes-means llinclude's'tvvol side-bars 12,secured together o for moving such carriers andgcontrollingthe: jat theirv endsby,cross-'rods''13` and-14.y Eachff Y movement thereof, so as to place theircarry# ofthecarryingelementsQOconsistsy of a tray ingelements in a common= liori'zvotalplane Whose endsare secured to hanger'sQl." e The at a` loading station and'- in superimposed hangers '2ll are 'vsecnred tov the' connecting" horizontal planes' in a1 treatment?space,and member 1Tbyfpivotsiwlose'aies are separated' t5 further provides means ortippingthecarry'- bydistances eq'al-to'thelength Zoffeacht'ray' C5 ing elements out f theirinorni'al horizontal '20.*' For convenienc'eythel'upper an-d lovve'r` position at a dumping station'.7 hangers arepivoted'on the crossrod`s'13' and`` A practical apparatus embodying-the inlgan'dindividualplvots15jare"pr0v1ded' for`r` vention is illustrated in the accompanying" vsecuringtheintermediate hangers'tjo the side#l drawings, in which: lbars v1201 the colmectingmember. 1Q@

:'. place the, trays in a dumping position by Vcondicated by dot and dash lines in Fig. 8 and hereinafter described and 4theWh'eels' C vhave projecting axles C extending over the chains of a narrowfgauge conveyor 60, indicated by dfot1 and dash lines in Fig.r 8 and hereinafter described. 'The flights 'of the ynarrow-gauge conveyor mayalso engage exposed portions A of'the'axle of the wheels A inside the wheels,

z,Frornthe above description of the carrier, it "is vapparent' that all vits tr'ays'ZO ar'evnornia'lly horizontal, while the trays maybe placed edge-to-edge in a 'common horizontal plane" by 'placing the' connecting member 1l horizontal as `shown in igs.'6 and 8, and may be placed'in superimposed horizontal planes by placing the Aconnecting member 11 at an angleV to therhorizontal as shown in Fig. 5. The relative position of the wheels A and C, therefore, controls the relation of the carrying elements.v It is, however, not possible tov trol ofthe wheelsof ther carrier,`as inthe case of the'carrier described in myatoresaid A Y'complete handling apparatuslinA accord-` vance with the present invention vincludes ,a plurality of the carriers 10, closed track ycircuits for the wheels of the carriers so related to each otheras to place the trays ofceach carrierin a common vertical plane at' aV loading stationandin superimposed horizontal planes in a treatment space, and,'in addition, means for Vtipping up the trays of each carrier at a dum"pingstation.` The. track circuit may ex-l tend in a horizontal plane like that :shown in my aforesaid patent, but more desirably lies in a. vertical plane like that shown in my ap- Y piieauon filed May e, 1929, serial No. 361,383.

scribed, a simplification maybe eected by d omitting altogether the track designated'in that application,V VThis results in the sim- Tofadapt the track circuit shown in thatapplication tothe carrier whichhas been depliied track circuit shown in Figsfvl,l 2 and 4;, which includes a. wide-gauge track-a for the wheelsfA and .a narrow/gauge track c for the wheels C, InzFigsnland 2, the track a is indicated by. a dash line, the track c, by ar dotfline', and :a vdot and dash line isfused in thefe'levation to indicate theportions of the tracks a and c which arecoplanar.y

From Fig.l 2, it will be seen that at the loadingstation L, the two tracks are horizontal and in the same plane, being represented by the line acl. Beyond the loading station, the track a has a horizontal portion a2, while the track c has a 'downwardly inclined portion c2 at the entrance to the treatment space Tand a horizontal portion c3 below theflevel ofthe portion a2 of the track a and separated Vfrom this portion of the track a by a vertical dfistancelessthan 4thellength of the connecting members 1l of the carriers. In the lower partof the-treatmntspaca the tracks a and chave horizontal portions a4, c4, separated this sameyertical distance. The righthand endsoif the .upper and lower horizontal portions-@fail of the track (L are connected byaninclined andcurved portion a5. The upper and lower horizontal portions c3, c4 of thewtrackc rare connected by an inclined y portion Vico, which lcontains. Aa switch 06 at the point atwhich vit crosses the track a' aiidga switch c7 atthe pointiat which.it joins the ,horizontal portion c4. t

.1 At the an upwardly-inclined portion a8, `followed by a curved portion alO, and a vhorizontal,

portion. alll joining theY horizontal portion represented by the line acl atthe loading station. On approaching the dumping station,

,thetrackc has an upwardly inclined portion 08,.whichlies in the same yinclined plane as, the p 'oltionrf/LYS lof Ithe. track a, and over! y laps the lowerportion of the incline a8 at the dumping station.; The track c then has a more steeplyinclined portion 09 curving int@ i ahelizentali Portion i C10, and fan 0ppositelyinclinedr portion cll vbringing it .up

dumping Vstation D, thei track a hasL to join the portion of the track c at the load# ingstation .which is on a level with the track ya. andjis represented'by the line acl.

track c is provided with a switch cl2 at the point I at -wrhich it extends upwardly away from theplane of the portion a8 of the track a, and witha switch cl3 where its incline 011 joinsits horizontal portion 010.

At the dumping station D, an abutment DlVv is provided successively to engage and tip each individual carrying element of each carrieras litpasses the dumping station` Y The positions `which each carrier assumes in travelinglaround the circuit'are indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 2 kat 10a, 10b, etc.

'Inthe loading position indicated at 10a, the

twopairs of wheels of t-he carrier are supvportedon the rsame level, so that the trays of the carriers are in edge-to-edge relation 'in a The common, plane. As the carrier proceeds to theiright-andrenters the treatment space, its f wheels C run down the incline c2 as shown at 10b, so that, when thecarrier has entered the ing'membenis 'inclined and its trays in steppedrelation.V

Y When'the carrier reaches the right-hand treatment space as shown at 100, its connectv end ofthe treatmentspacets .wheelsA-def to pass through it, and the switch 0,7 is closed f by the wheels C and automatically re-opened.`

- Afterthe carrier hask passed to the left through the lower part of the :treatment spacewith its trays in stepped relation as shown at lOf, itsl .wheelsfA Ymount the incline a8,"while its wheels C mount-the'coplanar incline e8 as-shown at 10g, so that the connecting member 11 of the carrier moves directly endwise and-its trays move in a commonr inclined path. In this movement, the front edges of its Vtrays are brought successively into contact with` the abutment DIi which tips up the trays successively to 'dumpl'thel material from Just as the after tray of the carrier 1s them, as clearly shown in dumped, vits wheels C close and cross the switch cl2 and mount the incline o9. As the wheels A continue'up the incline L8 and around the curve @10, the wheels C are drawnl up the steep incline 09, under and then over the switch cl3, and are then pushedup the fin'- cl'ine all so that both pairs of wheels are.

brought back to a common level at theloading stationL. y

Auotomatic movement of nected conveyors operating intimed relation'. The track arrangement which has been vde'- sc'ribed permits the use of a very simple 'conveyor arrangement, which is shown diagram'- matically in Fig. 3; Onlythree conveyors areused, of which two, and 60, operate'at a 'relatively high speed fortransferring the carriers between the upper and lower levels,

while thethird, 70, operates at a relatively lowspeed to move the carriers in both directions along the horizontal partsV of the circuit.' Eachfconveyor imay consist of two chains having reaches lying close to a portion of one of the tracks, andprovidedwith flights for engaging a part of the carriers 10,V

The chains of the conveyor are positioned, as indicated by dot and dash lines in Fig. 7, so that their iights may engage the projecting` aXlesC of the wheels Cia-nd the axles Ak of the wheels A inside the wheels. The chains" of the conveyor'() are positioned, as indicated by dot and dash lines in Fi'g.,7,' sorthat their l flights may engage the projecting axles A of the wheels A.' YThe chains of the conveyor 50 are of the'same separation as those 'of the conveyor 60. 1.

From the partial indication of the tracks in Fig. 3, the relation between ,the conveyors 4rshown in Fig. 3 andthe track circuit l the carriers l0 along the tracks maybe securedby interconlshown infF-ig. 2 'is apparent :f To'enable the. I

conveyor 50 to transfer the carriers Yfrom the upper tracks to the lowertracks at the right- 1 hand end ofthe treatment space, the chains of this conveyor follow the course of the track a at the right-hand` end of its horizontal portion a2, and along its inclined and curved por- .K tion a5. To enable the'conveyor 60 Vto transfer the carriers from the lower tracks to the upper tracks at the left-handend of theap.- paratus and to move them past the loading station, the chains 'of this eonveyorjfifolV low the`course y ofthe -track a the left- 4hand end of. its horizontalV portion Y. a4,

at its inclined portionaS, at its curved portion all), at its horizontal portion all, acl, and at the lett-handpartl of vits horizontal portion a2. To enable the conveyor 70 to move the carriers to. the right in the upper part of thev treatment space andtothe' left in the lower part, its chains have upper reaches following the course of the horizontal portion c3 ofthe traclrcl and lower reaches following theeourse ofthe horizontal portion a4 ofthe track a.

The speedof the conveyors is-so related that the trays of the carriers are moved past the loading station: closely spaced'in single tile as shown in Fig..6, and through the treatment spaceV closely spaced in multiple iile as shown in Fig. 5,:so that, 'they' form a single traveling platform to receive material at theV loading station, and a plurality of superi1nposed 'slowly traveling platforms in the treatment space. The fact that the connectingl members ll of the carriers havethe form oi" open frames permits such close spacing of the trays inrtreatment positlon, even `when the connecting members are considerably infv clined as shown in Fig. 5, since the trays of one carrier. may yswing withinA the connectingy member oic the next carrier. The fact that the connecting members 1l are rigid makes it possible to support them by two wheels in this inclined position, as well as. in their horizontal position at the loading station. It is to 'be noted, however, that, for this purpose, it is n'ot necessary that the connecting members be Vrigid in all directions., but merely that they beincapable of bending in one direction, that is,toward their sideswhich are lowest in the horizontal loading position and in the inclined treatment position illustrated. i

To provide automatically for lsuch close spacing ,of the trays of the carriers, both in loading position and in treatment position, the speed of the conveyor 60, which moves the carriers past the loading station, isvsubstan tially equal to the speed vof the conveyor "(0 multiplied by the number of trays in each car# rier. Tliespeed of the conveyor 50 is preferably somewhat greater than that of the con-A veyor 60. In order that each carrier may-be positively guided and timedthroughoutf itsv circuit, the flights oi ythe dierentconveyors are spaced apart by distances proportional to the speed of the conveyors. Various forms of known mechanism may be used tov operate the'conv-eyors at the relative speeds specified. A mechanism suitable 'for this purpose isv illustrated and described in my co-pending application, Serial -N 0.361,383, tiled MayrS, 1929.

. dumped at the same point of the circuit.

What I claim is:

. l. An independent carrying unit, comprising more than two carrying elements, and a rigid connecting member to which said car-A rying elements are hinged on lines located directly over the centers of gravity of the carryingr elementsand separated by distances vequa-l to the` distance between successive equal to the lengths of the carrying elements. 21. An independent carrying unit, com-' n prising more than tWo carrying elements,

and a connecting member inflexible at least iii one direction to which said carrying elements are hinged on lines located directly over the centers of gravity of the carrying elements and separated by distances equal to the ylengths of the carrying elements. 3. An independent carrying unit, comprisingfr a rigid connecting member and a pluralityl of .trays hinged to said connecting memberon lines directly over the centers of gravity of the trays and separated by a distance equalto the length of the trays, and a Wheel-secured to the upperend of the connecting member.

4. An independent carrying unit, compris- 1 ing a connecting member inflexible in at least one direction, pairs of v1Wheels of different gauges at the ends oi the connecting member, and a plurality of carrying elements pivotably suspended from the connecting membel'. i I

5. A carrier, comprising a connecting member inflexible in-at least one direction, a plurality of parallel pivotson said connecting member, hangers depending from said pivots, and carrying elements mounted in said hangers and each having a length equal to the distance betweenl successive pivots.

6. A carrier, comprising a connecting member-inflexible in at least one direction, a plurality of' parallel pivots on said connecting member, triangular-hangers dependingrirom said pivots, and horizontal trays mounted in said hangers and each having a length pivots 7. A carrier, comprising a connectingmember having the form of an open lframe inflexible in at least one direction, a plurality of Vcarrying elements pivotallysuspended from said "connecting member and adapted to swing Within the connecting memberof an adjacent carrier. n

8. A carrier, comprising 'a connectingmember consistingl oftwo rigidside-bars and tierods connecting said Vside-bars, a plurality of pairs of hangers pivoted to said side-bars-on equallyV spaced axial lines perpendicular to the side-bars, and a carrying element secured to each pair of hangers vand having a length equal to the distance between said axial lines.

9. In apparatus for handling materials, the combination With a carrier comprising a connecting member and ya plurality of car-v rying elements suspendeditherefrom, of means for moving said vcarrier past a loading station, through a treatment space and past a dumping station, means operative on suoli Vmovement of the carrier to place the ends of its connecting member in the same horizontal plane atthe loading station and indifferent horiz'ontaly planes in the treatment space, and means adapted to engage and tip the carrying elements oi the carrier 'at the dumping station. s

l0. In apparatus for handling materials, the combination With a carrier having a connecting member and a plurality of carrying elements suspended therefrom, of means-for guiding one end of the connecting member past a loading station in ahorizontal path, through a treatment space in a. horizontal path, and past a dumping station, means for guiding the other endot the connecting mem-' ber in a path on a line With said first path at the loading station, in a path spaced from said first path in the treatment space, and,

in a pathj ony a linevvith said irst pathat the dumping station, and means for successively engaging and tipping the individual carrying elements of the carrier at the dumping station.

111. The combination With a carrier having a connecting member and a plurality of carrying elements suspended therefrom, of means for guiding one end oi' the connecting memberpasta loading station in a horizontal path, through a treatment spaceV in a horizontal path, and p ast a dumping station in an inclined path, means for guiding the other end of the connecting member in a path on a line with said iirst path at the loading station, in a path spaced from said iirst path in the treatment space, and in va path on aline With said rst path at the dumping station, and an abutment at the dumping station positioned to engage and tip the -individual carrying elements of the carrier successively.

12. The combination With a carrier having a connecting member and a. plurality of carrying-elements suspended therefrom, of Ymeans for guiding one end of the connecting member past a loading station in a horizontal path, through a treatment space in a horizon-4 tal path, and past a dumping station, means for guiding the other end 'of' the connecting member in a path-fonl aline-'With said first Apath at the loading station,in apathspaced from said first pathin the treatment space, and past the dunipingstation,'andmeans'at the 'dumping station for engaging and tipping the carrying elements of the carrier;

13. lnapparatus 'rfor handling materials,` the combination With a plurality of carriers f each having a connecting member and a plurality of carrying elements suspended therefrom, of means for guiding one end ofthe connecting memberof each carrier in a closed the loading station and spaced therefrom inl a treatment space, means for moving the carriers at a relatively rapid rate past the .loading and dumping stations and at a relatively slow rate through the treatment space,

and means fortipping the carrying elementsy t of each carrier at the dumping station.

llt. In apparatus for handling materials, the combination with aplurality of carriers each having a connecting member and a plurality of carryinelementsjsuspended therefrom, of means `or guiding one end of the connecting member of each carrier in a closed path having a horizontal portion'at a loading station, a horizontal portion in a treatnient space, and a portion at a dumping station, means for guiding the other end ofthe Yconne'ctingmember of each carrier in a closedV path Which is on a line With the lirst path at the loading station and at the dumping station and spaced therefrom in the treatment space, means for moving the carriers at a relatively rapid rate, past theloading and dumping stations and at a relatively slo'vv rate through thev treatment space, and an abutment at the dumping station positioned to successively engage and tipY the indvidual carrying elements of the successive carriers.

l5. A movable independent carrying unit, comprising more than Vtwocarrying elements and a rigid connecting member to which said carrying elements are hinged onlines llocated directly'over the centers of gravity of the cariyingelements and separated by distances equa-l to the lengths of the carrying elements, and guiding means engaging the connecting member at `two spaced points` and adapted to position the carrying unit first with its connecting member horizontal'- and itscarrying elements in edge-to-edge relation and then with its connecting member at an angle to the horizontal and its lcarrying elements in superimposed relation. Y

16. .A movable independentcarrying unit, comprising more than two carrying elements 3 and arconnecting member inliexible at least l,in"one-directionfto'which said carrying elementsyare yhingedv outlines located directly overtli'ecenters of gravity of the carrying `elements and separated bydistances equal Vtothe lengthsvof the carrying elements, and

guidingdineans engaging the connecting member at'two spaced points 3 and adapted to position-the carrying unit first With its -ingzelements in edge-to-edge' relation and then with its connecting-member at an an- .nients .in i superimposed relation.

gle :to rthev horizontalgand its carrying ele-vr 17.'.A movabley independent carrying unit,'l: l,

,comprising a rigidfconnecting member and a plurality yof trays'hinged to said connecting member'on .lines directly over the cenconnectingimember horizontal and its-carryters of gravity of the trays and separated, i

by a distanceequal lto the length of the trays, a lWheel'secured to the upper end of the connecting member, a horizontal'trackfor said wheel, and guiding means engaging a point -ofsaidv connecting member spaced from said VWheel and -positioned in part on-a level with saidtrack and in partbelow saiditrackii 18. An independent carrying unit, 'oom- .prisingr a connecting member inflexible in at least one direction, pairs: of'wheels of different. gauges 'at the. ends o f the connecting member, a :plurality of carrying .elements pivotably suspended:Vv from the connecting member, a track for vone-of said pairs of Wheels atleast portionsof which are horizontal, and

a track for the other pair of/jwheels'having u a l'iorizontaly portion on a 'levelLWitli a horif zontal portion of the first track anda'hori.- zontal portionspaced vertically from `a horizontalportionof the irst track. v j

19. Atari-ier, comprising a connecting member inieXible :in atleast one direction, ya.

plurality of parallel pivots onvsaidfconnecting meinberfhangers dependingyfrom said pivots, .carr ing elements mountedin vsaid hangers an each having a length equal .to`

the distance between successive pivots, means for guiding one end of the connecting member lin a path having horizontal portions, and

Ymeans for guiding theother end voi theconnectingimember in a path havinga horizontal portion inline With the horizontal portion ofi-the first path to place the connecting member ofthe carrier ahorizontal positionandfhaving la horizontal portion verticallyspaced from-,a horizontal. portion of y f the first path to placer the lconnecting member-ofthe carrier in a position inclined to thefhorizontal. i Y .4 i w 20. A carrier, comprising a connecting memberfinflex'ible. in atleast one direction, a plurality of parallel pivots on said connecting ,membeig l triangular `hangers depending 1 from' said pivots, horizontal trays mounted said liangersand each 'having a lengthy equal tothe ldistance,between'successivexpivy y f lots, means *fori guiding one :end of the con'.

-necting member inl 'aipath having horizontal portions, and means for guiding-the 'other end of the connecting member in a path having .a horizontal kportion in line with the horizontal portion ofthe first path to place the .connecting member'of the carrier in api horizontal position and having a horizontal portion vertically spaced from a horizontal f lportion ofthe first path to-place the connecting 'member ofthe carrier .in aposition in- Y clined to the horizontal.l

- 2l. In apparatus Vfor handling materials,

the combinationof a plurality ofcarriers each comprisinga connecting member hav- V,l5

ing the formgof an open frame anda plurality of carrying elements pivotably suspended from said connectingmember, and

Latinas? vofjth'e connecting member in a path having m hand.

y DAVID s. BAKER.v

guiding means 'for saidcarriers adapted to position at least one carrier with its Connectingmember'horizontal and to position a plurality/,ofthe carriers with their connecting :members closely .spaced in parallel planes inclined to the horizontal so that the carrying elementsof each of said carriers swing Within the connecting member Aof the adjacent ca'rrier..V

22. In' apparatus` for handling materials,

-thef-'combinaftion of-Y a plurality of carriers V"each Ycomprisinga connecting member consisting Vof tivoV rigid side-bars and tie-rods connecting said side-bars, a plurality of pairs of hangers pivoted -toA` said side-bars on equally spa-'ced axial lines perpendicular to the side-bars, a carrying element secured to each pair of hangers and having a length equal to the distancebetween said axial lines, and guidling means for said carriers adapted toposition at least one of' the carriers with its connecting member vhorizontal and its carrying elementsxin edge-to-edge relation and to position a' pluralityV of the carriers Wit-h their connecting members in parallel planes inclined tothe horizontal so that the trays of each of said'carriers are in superimposed relation and adjacent to the trays ofthe next l carrier'. s Y

23.` In yapparatus for handling materials, the combination of aplurality of carriers each comprising a connecting member and a plurality of movable 'carrying elements suspended therefrom, and'guiding means for said'carriers adapted tofpositi'o'n at leastone of .the vcarriers withv its connecting member horizontal and `its'carrymgelements-1n edgeto-e'dge relation in a horizontal plane and to Y position a plurality'of the carrierswith their carrying elements in closely spaced parallel planes inclinedto theV horizontal. 5

Y ,24. Invr apparatus for handling materials,

the combination Witha carrier having a connecting member and a plurality of carrying y Y.elements suspended therefrom, of means for l guiding one end of the connecting member in a path atleast portions of Which are hori-j zontahand means for .guiding the other vend 

